Taggartdidnotappeartobeinanyparticularhaste。Firstofall，hetookapinchofsnuff，then，risingfromhischair，slowlyanddeliberatelydrewhiswig，forheworeawigofabrowncolour，rathermoreoverhisforeheadthanithadpreviouslybeen，buttonedhiscoat，and，takinghishat，andanumbrellawhichstoodinacorner，mademealowbow，andquittedtheroom。
’Well，sir，wherewerewe？Oh，Iremember，weweretalkingaboutmerit。Sir，Ialwayswishtoencouragemerit，especiallywhenitcomessohighlyrecommendedasinthepresentinstance。Sir，mygoodfriendandcorrespondentspeaksofyouinthehighestterms。
Sir，Ihonourmygoodfriend，andhavethehighestrespectforhisopinioninallmattersconnectedwithliterature-rathereccentricthough。Sir，mygoodfriendhasdonemyperiodicalmoregoodandmoreharmthanalltherestofmycorrespondents。Sir，Ishallneverforgetthesensationcausedbytheappearanceofhisarticleaboutacertainpersonagewhomheproved-andIthinksatisfactorily-tohavebeenalegionarysoldier-ratherstartling，wasitnot？TheS-oftheworldacommonsoldier，inamarchingregiment-original，butstartling；sir，Ihonourmygoodfriend。’
’Soyouhaverenouncedpublishing，sir，’saidI，’withtheexceptionoftheMagazine？’
’Why，yes；exceptnowandthen，undertherose；theoldcoachman，youknow，likestohearthewhip。Indeed，atthepresentmoment，I